WASHINGTON — On Thursday, President Donald Trump took part in the National Prayer Breakfast held at the Capitol, a Washington tradition that has been in place for over 70 years, which gathers a diverse group of lawmakers from both parties for a day of fellowship. In addition to this event, Trump is scheduled to address another prayer breakfast organized by a private entity at a hotel in Washington.
During his final prayer breakfast in office, Trump made headlines as the occasion followed the Senate’s decision to acquit him in his initial impeachment trial. At that event, he directed clear criticisms towards then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from California, who had publicly mentioned praying for him, and Senator Mitt Romney, a Republican from Utah, who invoked his beliefs when explaining his vote to convict Trump.
In his speech during that earlier breakfast, Trump expressed disdain for individuals who leverage their religious faith as an excuse for their actions and those who profess to pray for him insincerely. “I don’t like people who use their faith as justification for doing what they know is wrong,” he stated at the time, showcasing two newspapers that carried large headlines declaring his acquittal.
The National Prayer Breakfast has been an annual event since it first occurred in February 1953, when then-President Dwight D. Eisenhower attended. Since Eisenhower’s presidency, every subsequent president has participated in the event.
This year, the prayer breakfast is co-chaired by Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan from New Hampshire and Republican Senator Roger Marshall from Kansas. Notably, in 2023, the National Prayer Breakfast branched into two separate events: one primarily for lawmakers and officials at the Capitol and a larger private gathering at a hotel that attracted thousands. This division arose as legislators aimed to separate themselves from the private religious organization that has managed the larger event for many years, amid concerns over its administration and funding.
In the previous years, both President Joe Biden, a Democrat, delivered speeches at the Capitol event, which were broadcast to attendees of the private function, continuing the tradition of president participation in this significant occasion.
